The High-Society Union of Alena Hayden and Wellington Clark
A meticulously decorated home ceremony in Seattle highlights the turn-of-the-century social season, marking the departure of a beloved local figure to Walla Walla.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A beautiful wedding was that which united Mr. Wellington M. Clark of Walla Walla and Miss Alena L. Hayden of this city. The ceremony was performed at the home of the bride's parents, Major and Mrs. Hayden, on Tuesday evening, by Rev. Dr. Nevins of Eastern Washington, an old-time friend of the groom. The parlor of the residence was beautifully decorated with ivy, smilax, and numbers of flowers, the handiwork of Mrs. A. W. Craig, an old friend and playmate of the bride. Trails of ivy and flowers hung from the moldings, hanging in mingled profusion to the floor. The mantels were banked with marigolds, and in the recess where the ceremony took place, a beautiful marriage bell, composed of marigolds, was hung. The couple were showered with congratulations and beautiful presents. Mr. and Mrs. Clark immediately took the train for Walla Walla, where they will in future reside. The groom is a member of the well-known law firm of Anderson, Brent & Clark of Walla Walla. The bride has been a valued member of Seattle society, and her departure will be regretted greatly by many friends.
“Trails of ivy and flowers hung from the moldings, hanging in mingled profusion to the floor.”
This society wedding page offers a window into the insular, influential social networks that shaped early Seattle's professional and civic life. The mention of the groom's law firm and the bride's parents' home signals a period when the city's power was solidified through these domestic alliances—precursors to the modern developer-politician nexus.
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